A few key phrases to know before travelling to Bonaire
While Dutch (Nederlands) is the official language of Bonaire, the language most spoken by residents is Papiamentu. It is widely known as a Portugese-based Creole language used only in the ABC islands. I've found that my (limited) experience speaking Spanish has really helped me to pick up on this local language.
The most popular phrase used with travelers is "Dushi" which has 2 meanings. First, it means "delicious" when talking about food. But often you will hear the locals welcome you with the word"dushi" which means - "sweetheart". So if someone calls you "dushi" (not to be confused with "douchey") take it as a compliment.
When visiting Bonaire, you are sure to hear some of these phrases. Try them out yourself with the locals to show your interest in and respect of their culture. You can download this image to your phone:
To learn more about the origins of Papiamentu, check out these resouces:
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